Corset-clasp



(No Model.)

F. B. SPOONER.

CORSET CLASP.

No. 448,891. Patented Mar. 24, 1891..

[N VEN T OR PV/ T [V2555 I $141 1 01% FREDERICK l3. SPOONER, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

CORSET-CLASP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 448,891, dated March 24, 1891.

Application filed July 18, 1890. Serial No. 359,215. (No model.)

a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the cityof Brooklymin the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Corsetglasps, of which the following is a specificaion.

My invention relates to an improved construction of the clasp, whereby the corsetsteels can be securely fastened and readily released when desired without liability of such steels becoming detached in their forward and backward movement, as is frequently the case with most of the corsetclasps now on the market. Those which are so constructed that they will not so become accidentally detached are either too complicated in their construction for a commercial article or else in a short time become worthless in use.

The improvements consist of, first, a corset-clasp composed of a single piece of sheet metal, each of its free and open ends containing aleg overlapping and bent over the other free end,in combination with the two corsetsteels and the locking-stud placed upon one of said studs and its locking-slot for locking the clasp to such steel; second, a corset-clasp composed of a single piece of sheet metal containing a slot placed at the rear of the slot, through which the locking-stud upon one of the steels passes, in combination with the two corset-steels and the locking-stud and its locking-slot; third, a corset-clasp composed of a single piece of sheet metal slotted at its outer end, forming two free ends, each of said ends formed with a lateral leg, each of which legs overlaps and is bent over the other free end, and a slot placed at the rear of the slot,

through which the locking-stud upon one of the steels passes,in combination with the two corset-steels and the locking-stud and its locking-slot, and, fourth,- a corset-clasp secured to one of the steels bypassing through a slot made in such steel and riveted to the steel at rear of said slot, such slot beinglonger than the width of the clasp, in combination with the two corset-steels and the lockingstud placed upon the other of said two steels and its locking-slot.

Figure 1 represents a pair of corset-steels to which my improvemets are applied. Fig. 2 is the improved clasp detached from the steels and as it appears before the overlapping portions of the open ends are bent over into position. Fig. 3 is the clasp, with the overlapping portions of the open ends bent over into position. Fig. 4 is a central longitudinal section of the clasp, taken through the line XX of Fig. 1. Fig.5 is a central longitudinal section of a modification of the clasp as shown at the lower portion of the corsetsteels, taken through the line Y Y of Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a view of this modified form of clasp as it appears before the overlapping portions of the open ends are bent over into position.

a a are the corset-steels.

b is the corset-clasp,cut out of a thin piece. of sheet metal in a single piece, as heretofore usually practiced. This clasp has an opening c,into which the head of the locking-stud (Z passes when connecting the two springs together. There is also the opening 6, into which the locking-stud cl passes, in order to secure the end of the clasp to the steel Ct. The neck of the locking-stud traverses the slot or opening f, placed between the openings c 6, during the operation of securing the two steels together. The ends g g are free to have motion to and from each otherin the plane of their upper and lower surfaces by reason of a continuation of the slot f out to the extreme end of the clasp. however, any movement in an up-and-down direction of these ends-in other words, of any twisting motion-incutting out the blank, I leave two legs or projections h h, extending outwardly from the end pieces g g. One of these legs h is somewhat in advance of the other one h, so that when they are folded in the leg 71 will lap over upon the underneath surface of the end g, and the leg 72, will lap over upon the underneath surface of the end g, the bent-over portion h being upon the in side of the bent-over portion h. With this construction of the ends the clasp can be made out of a single piece of metal, and the open ends will always move in the same plane, and all twisting and warping action of such ends in the manipulation of the clasp will be obviated.

In order to give sufficient flexibility to the open ends 9 g, I have, in addition to the open- To prevent, 1

ings shown in the ordinary clasp, as shown at c and e, a slot 1 placed at the rear of the clasp and near the portion at which such clasp is riveted to the steel a. This slot imay be constructed in various terms. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, itextends from the opening 0 clear to the rear of the line of rivets j 7". This is my preferred form of such supplemental opening in the clasp, as it can be used with the clasp secured by more than one rivet to the corset-steel. In the modification Fig. (5, this slot is immediately in front of the point at which the clasp is secured to the steel, in which case but one rivetj should be used to secure the clasp to the steel a, otherwise the spring-like action of the ends 9 will in a great measure be impaired.

In fastening and u nfastenin g corset'clasps constructed with open ends it frequently happens that they are suddenlywrenched apart. I therefore, to limit the movement widthwise of these ends, prefer to partly secure the clasp in a slot cut in one of the steels, as shown at 7.: in the lower part of the steel (1. This slot It is made a little longer upon each side of the clasp, so that the widthwise movement of the ends of the clasp is limited by the steel a. The clasp is bent so that it may pass up through the slot 7;, in order to permit of its rear portion being riveted to the upper surface of the steel a.

I clain1-- 1. A corset-clasp composed of a single piece of sheet n1etal,each of its free and open ends containing a leg overlapping and bent over the other free end, in combination with the two corset-steels and the locking-stud placed upon one of said steels for locking the clasp to such steel and its lockin -slot, substantially as described.

2. A corset-clasp composed of a single piece of sheet metal slotted at its outer end, forming two free ends, each of said ends formed with a lateral leg, each of which legs overlaps and is bent over the other free end, and a slot placed at the rear of the slot, through which the locking-stud upon one of the steels passes, in combination with the two corsetsteels and the locking-stud and its lockingslot, substantially as described.

3. A corset-clasp secured to one of the steels by passing through a slot made in such steel and riveted to the steel at rear of said slot,such slot being longer than the width of the clasp, in combination with the two corsetsteels and the locking-stud placed upon the other of said two steels and its locking-slot, substantially as described.

FREDERICK l3. SPOONER.

*itnesses:

ANDREW M. Tom), D. P. Sonny. 

